Major League Baseball HOT STOVE!

[The Dowager Mod]

MEET THE METS,
MEET THE METS,
Step right up and greet the Mets!
Bring your kiddies,
bring your wife;
Guaranteed to have the time of your life
because the Mets are really sockin' the ball; knocking those home runs over the wall!
East side,
West side,
Everybody's coming down
to meet the M-E-T-S Mets of New York town!

[Modernity has failed us]

Hanley Ramirez to Boston, 5/90

Very excited about this.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Hanley Ramirez to Boston, 5/90

Very excited about this.

So, can someone explain the Red Sox to me?  2012 and 2014... the only two times the Sox have managed to lose 90+ games since the 1960s.  In between those seasons?  Oh, just a World Series title. 

*You must understand, as a Mets fan, my focus for the last better part of a decade has been only on their rebuilding process.  I haven't given too much thought to the rest of the league because the Mets aren't competing with them yet.  With the team starting to come around I've been able to get back into the game a little bit because I can see my team being right there in Sept. for a change.

As for the Ramirez signing...  Put him in the middle of a good lineup and he can be spectacular.  Knowing the Red Sox/Yankees, they probably go out and grab Lester and Sandoval as well and be right back at the top of the division next year.

[Modernity has failed us]

2012 was a fluke year for the Sox because Bobby V was just a terrible manager. This year was more attributable to a lot of injuries, and some really bad all around performances by the various no-name guys they had as replacements. Plus they just gave up on their pitching staff halfway through the year. Go figure when you've got a pitching coach as your manager.

I honestly think the Sox are going to rebound (again) this year and win a title. With an infield composed of the likes of Hanley, Sandoval, Pedroia, Bogaerts, a healthy Will Middlebrooks (possibly), Mike Napoli and Brock Holt, with one of those guys DHing a majority of the time...sheesh. Outfield looks good too so long as they go Cespedes-Castillo-Craig and don't try to get cute by throwing Daniel Nava, Victorino or Jackie Bradley in for more than a couple of games...

The pitching is what worries me the most. I'm pretty confident Lester will be back (thank God) and Buchholz will be healthy...but after that, they don't have much. Webster looked okay. De La Rosa never gets run support. Joe Kelly could be promising...but I'd only trust him as a 4 or a 5. Ranaudo looked pretty good too. Everyone else is fairly mediocre, and even those guys aren't that great. Hopefully Cherington has a blank check for the offseason, because we sure could use one or two more starting pitchers. Masterson, Scherzer and/or Shields would make the most sense. Don't think they'll make a run at either Scherzer or Shields because they won't want to bet the house on two guys they're not sure they'll be able to sign. Masterson is the most likely. I'd also like Josh Johnson or Jake Peavy.

Thankfully I rambled on about nothing after answering your question.

[RI]

To me, the 2013 Red Sox were a case of every player on the team having a career year simultaneously. As of now, they don't have nearly enough to win that division or a title.

[RI]

Looks like the Red Sox have also officially signed Pablo Sandoval.

[NewYorkExpress]

Looks like the Red Sox have also officially signed Pablo Sandoval.

The Evil Empire has relocated to Boston.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

lol@redsoxfans.  Ask the Dodgers about padding payroll to guarantee world series appearances. 

[free my dawg]

I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

[Modernity has failed us]

I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

I'm more depressed than I was when he got traded.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

Every... and I mean EVERY long-term megadeal for a plus-30 starter has turned out bad. 

[RI]

I'm quite happy the Red Sox didn't get Lester. Hopefully Boston goes 0-for-starters this offseason then fights the Yankees for last place in 2015 (well, I hope that every year, really, but it could easily happen this coming year).

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I'm quite happy the Red Sox didn't get Lester. Hopefully Boston goes 0-for-starters this offseason then fights the Yankees for last place in 2015 (well, I hope that every year, really, but it could easily happen this coming year).

No way is Boston competing for last place in 2015.  They have a lot of talent in that lineup, and the AL East could easily be a slugfest like it was in the early 2000s. 

[Modernity has failed us]

I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

Every... and I mean EVERY long-term megadeal for a plus-30 starter has turned out bad. 

I don't want Lester to fail tho. I want him to win a ring. I can't speak for Sawx tho. I mean, i'd rather have Jon Lester win another ring than have the Red Sox win another one. I'd rather have both, but given the choice, I'd take Lester over the Sox.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

Every... and I mean EVERY long-term megadeal for a plus-30 starter has turned out bad. 

I don't want Lester to fail tho. I want him to win a ring. I can't speak for Sawx tho. I mean, i'd rather have Jon Lester win another ring than have the Red Sox win another one. I'd rather have both, but given the choice, I'd take Lester over the Sox.

I want the Cubs to get one.  I've been a big fan of my three teams since about 1996.  I'm at 18-19 years, 57 or 58 total Mets/Rangers/Eagles seasons without a championship.  I feel for those fans.  There are people who were born when the Cubs where at a 25 year drought that are long gone.  There are 70-80-90-100 year old fans that just want friggin one.  ONE. 

Hopefully Lester can help that cause, but not before my Metsies!  As much as I love my Rangers and Eagles, I have a soft spot for the Mets to get me my first championship.  I've worn a blue Mets hat as part of my "look" for about a decade and my dad made me a Mets themed room in my childhood home.  Wallpaper, memorabilia, and all that.  I would honestly probably cry. 

[free my dawg]

I think the latest news made me sadder than the emotional rollercoaster I've been on this wohle semester.

Every... and I mean EVERY long-term megadeal for a plus-30 starter has turned out bad. 

Sentimentality, bruh.

[Wolverines34]

Hanley Ramirez to Boston, 5/90

Very excited about this.

Same, and with Sandoval going to Boston aswell. Gona be a good year at fenway...Ortiz, Sandoval, and Ramirez...

The Yankees are gona do terrible this year lmao in mad debt.

[Wolverines34]

U guys notice how Yankee fans are more fairweather fans whereas Red Sox fans are die hard true fans (same with Oakland).

Also idk about the mets...Granderson is terrible (227 lmao)..Wright has NO POWER...and DUDA is never gona hit 30homers again he just got lucky.

If the mets are smart they would trade Duda and Grandjerson and get what value they can.

[free my dawg]

Hanley Ramirez to Boston, 5/90

Very excited about this.

Same, and with Sandoval going to Boston aswell. Gona be a good year at fenway...Ortiz, Sandoval, and Ramirez...

The Yankees are gona do terrible this year lmao in mad debt.

At the same time, Wade Miley is our #2 starter.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Also idk about the mets...Granderson is terrible (227 lmao)..Wright has NO POWER...and DUDA is never gona hit 30homers again he just got lucky.

If the mets are smart they would trade Duda and Grandjerson and get what value they can.

Duda was just lucky?  He plays at CitiField, clown!

And Granderson has always been a low BA player.  Still had 30 doubles, 20 HRs, 66rbi in a bad offense.  He'll have protection this year in the form of Cuddyer and a fell season of D'Arnaud. 

BTW, Mets made a nice depth move in getting John Mayberry Jr. to start against lefties.  .913 OPS against lefties last year, and has always had pop. 

[Modernity has failed us]

Hanley Ramirez to Boston, 5/90

Very excited about this.

Same, and with Sandoval going to Boston aswell. Gona be a good year at fenway...Ortiz, Sandoval, and Ramirez...

The Yankees are gona do terrible this year lmao in mad debt.

At the same time, Wade Miley is our #2 starter.

I think it's gonna be Porcello-Buchholz-Miley-Kelly-Masterson at this point. Still think they're gonna go after Shields and possibly Hamels.

[Devils30]

Also idk about the mets...Granderson is terrible (227 lmao)..Wright has NO POWER...and DUDA is never gona hit 30homers again he just got lucky.

If the mets are smart they would trade Duda and Grandjerson and get what value they can.

Duda was just lucky?  He plays at CitiField, clown!

And Granderson has always been a low BA player.  Still had 30 doubles, 20 HRs, 66rbi in a bad offense.  He'll have protection this year in the form of Cuddyer and a fell season of D'Arnaud.  

BTW, Mets made a nice depth move in getting John Mayberry Jr. to start against lefties.  .913 OPS against lefties last year, and has always had pop.  

Mets are a year away, love that rotation of Harvey, DeGrom, Wheeler, Syndergaard but they need offense. I expect them to spend next offseason on Heyward or Upton.

Red Sox could have used Lester but come 2018 they'll be happy without that contract. He is good but not in the elite category with Kershaw, Felix, Sale and Bumgarner. Doubt he becomes total junk but if he regresses to career norms with a 3.58 era and loses velocity, in 2017 he could be a league average pitcher making $26 million with a 3.95-4.15 era.

Watch out for Mookie Betts, wouldn't be shocked at all if he's the best leadoff man in baseball this season. Great numbers at all levels and low risk because he doesn't strikeout much. Bogaerts, Castillo along with Hanley, Sandoval, Ortiz, Napoli and Pedroia make that lineup the best in my eyes.

[© tweed]

the Mets were an average-to-teenybit-above average (NL) offensive team last year.(1)  they're not a year away.  if everything from last year holds and you add 4 wins for Harvey and 3 for David Wright regressing back to career norms you have a team holding at a true-talent level of 88 or 89 wins, which is as good or better than both teams that played in the World Series last year.


(1) this is a bit of artistic license.  the team OPS+ was 93, but that was dragged down by historically bad pitcher-offense; position player OPS+ was 101.

[Devils30]

I think Mets finish second in the NL East and have a chance at the wildcard game. Just their true window opens in 2016 in my opinion.

[© tweed]

Just their true window opens in 2016 in my opinion.

that has more to do with the Nats poised to get worse after 2015 than the Mets necessarily getting better.